Recently I have started spinning my own yarn from wool, and of course it looks like beginner yarn. After plying I found that some areas are thick and chunky, while others were thinner than a DK weight yarn. I thought crochet would be a great way to highlight the weight differences and make the item really textural. So, I asked myself what I would like out of wool would be chunky and thick.” A cowl! After living in Michigan for nearly 20 years (originally from Texas) I have finally come to realize that no matter how warm your coat is, if your feet and head/neck are cold it means you are cold. So, a thick and chunky cowl made out of wool would be a great item to have for this winter.
As I was working this pattern out on my handspun yarn I was loving it, and then I got to the end of what yarn I had made. The cowl was only a hand width tall, so I need at least double of what I had originally spun. Still being new to this yarn spinning thing I am still learning how much fiber you need to get “x” amount of yarn. So, until I can get more from the lady I got this from (she has a store at her house and has a monthly spin get together where I can get more) this specific cowl is on hold.
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Then with a little stroll through Joann store yarn aisle looking for inspiration to find me, I came across the Buttercream Thick & Thin yarn (find it here). The contrast of the yarn thickness caught my eye. It looked so similar to what I had hand spun, except mine wasn’t quite as drastic of a change. Looking at the fiber content it is 52% wool and 48% acrylic, and it sold me for the warmth I was wanting for the cowl! If I couldn’t get this cowl I was wanting done with my hand spun, I was going to with this! Having our three year old with me she picked out the one with pink and purple, not surprising to me. So home we went with my hands ready to get going!
This yarn does take a minute to get used to and learn. Working the thin areas is no problem, but sometimes the thick yarn gets so thick that it is hard to pull loops through. When working a stitch with the thicker sections of yarn I would pull more length through for a loop. This really helped me be able to work the stitch without as much difficulty, and made the project much more enjoyable.
Once done I put the cowl on even before weaving in the ends I was so excited about it. It is super warm and cozy, perfect for our Michigan winter. I am now wearing it any chance that I get – even sleeping in it. When the three year old first saw it on me she said it looked like cotton candy, and then our other daughter (who is five) said it looked like popcorn. So, there is the name – and for the Crochet Cotton Candy Popcorn Cowl pattern click HERE.
Get the printable PDF version of the pattern (without ads) HERE
